Mediterranean Morning Meals: 6 Breakfast Recipes

Emphasizing fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains while limiting salt and red meat, the Mediterranean diet has been described by the Mayo Clinic as a heart healthy plan. As with any diet, breakfast is essential — and doesn’t have to always mean Greek yogurt parfaits. The basic principles you apply when selecting a whole-grain dinner choice apply at the breakfast table too. Even if you aren’t on the Mediterranean meal plan, you’ll want to make one of these 6 recipes to add a little variety to your morning routine.

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1. Mediterranean Breakfast Couscous

With this recipe from Health.com you’ll be rethinking how you classify couscous. You may have made the dish before with dinner, but with a bit of brown sugar and dried fruit, you can bring the whole grain to your Mediterranean diet. It makes about 4 servings.

Ingredients:

3 cups 1 percent low-fat milk

1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick

1 cup uncooked whole-wheat couscous

½ cup chopped dried apricots

¼ cup dried currants

6 teaspoons dark brown sugar, divided

¼ teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons butter, melted and divided

Directions: Combine milk and cinnamon stick in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; heat 3 minutes or until small bubbles form around inner edge of pot (about 180 degrees Fahrenheit.) Do not boil. Remove from heat; stir in couscous, apricots, currants, 4 teaspoons brown sugar, and salt. Cover the mixture, and let it stand 15 minutes. Remove and discard cinnamon stick. Divide couscous among each of 4 bowls, and top each with 1 teaspoon melted butter and ½ teaspoon brown sugar. Serve immediately.